American Magazine Editors Will Have to ‘Play Especially Nice’ for Their Kate Middleton Covers

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Kate Middleton has already been called the new Angelina Jolie of the weekly tabloids. Any cover she graces is guaranteed to sell by the load, and People magazine is ready to capitalize. “This story involves an incredibly attractive girl who is young and going to be a princess. I sure hope she does well. I mean, all this story is lacking is a dragon,” People managing editor Larry Hacket said.

This is all well and good for the tabloids, who don’t stage dramatic and expensive photo shoots for their covers and can use whatever Middleton shots they have lying around. However, fashion magazine editors at Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar are in a bit of a spot because, well, how do they get Middleton in their issues? They can get Angelina Jolie — she’s American, like their audience. But Kate Middleton will probably want to assert her Britishness with covers in her homeland.

“I’m sure [Harper’s Bazaar editor-in-chief] Glenda Bailey has already placed a call,” said one source. [PopEater’s Rob] Shuter noted that for American editors, this wedding presents a bit of a role reversal. “Editors in America are used to sharing their photos of, say, Jennifer Aniston,” with their counterparts in other countries, but now they will need to play especially nice for access to Middleton, who will undoubtedly want to be in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and Marie Claire in the U.K.”

Perhaps now we can see if she’s after personal fame or bettering her country. Denying oneself an Anna Wintour photo shoot experience in favor of appearing on another magazine first would seem a very difficult thing to do for any fashion-inclined person.